LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or liquefied petroleum gas is an important fuel source, widely used in manufacturing industries, especially heavy industries such as metallurgy, construction materials production, food production, etc.

Currently, LPG in Vietnam is using 2 sources: domestic production and import. The LPG supply chain extends from upstream, midstream to downstream. Through the process of exploitation, processing, transportation and filling before reaching the place of use.

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This article will help you better understand the quality of LPG, its impact on performance, safety and how to choose standard LPG.

1. About LPG supply in Vietnam

In terms of business, PV GAS has supplied the market with nearly 2.5 million tons of LPG, of which nearly 1.6 million tons are produced and consumed domestically for civil, industrial and transportation purposes. (According to PVGAS 2023 annual report)

1.1. Domestic production accounts for about 50% of consumption output

• Middle East (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)
• Korea, Japan
• Malaysia, Indonesia
• Russia, USA

2. What are the bases for assessing the quality of LPG?

LPG quality is assessed based on the Certificate of Quality inspected by a third-party independent inspection unit. In which:

2.1. Origin of LPG – LPG extracted from a gas processing plant usually has a higher Propane ratio, LPG will have a higher calorific value and fewer impurities, suitable for industrial production needs.

LPG extracted from the oil refining process usually has a higher Butane ratio, LPG will be easier to liquefy and transport, suitable for civil use.

2.2. Main composition ratio of LPG – LPG is liquefied petroleum gas with a composition of 95% mixture of Butane and Propane. LPG usually has common Propane/Butane ratios such as: 50/50, 60/40, 70/30. Most of the LPG consumed on the market is commercial LPG with a Propane/Butane ratio of 50:50 (with a tolerance of 10%)

2.3. Additional components affecting the purity of LPG – In addition to Butane and Propane, LPG also contains other impurities such as sulfur, water, residue content and Olefin.

• H₂S and sulfur compounds can appear due to chemical reactions during the processing of petroleum and natural gas.
• Water (H₂O) can appear due to moisture from natural gas or crude oil that has not been completely removed during the refining process.
• Olefins are hydrocarbons with strong bonds and often have incomplete combustion, creating residue and soot.

Note that these impurity indexes must be within the allowable limits for the use of LPG to be safe.

2.4. LPG pressure – Pressure is determined by the composition of LPG. When using LPG, customers need to note that pressure always comes with temperature conditions, usually 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) similar to outdoor LPG tanks.